This review first appeared in issue 355 of PC Pro.
HP’s latest Spectre convertible is a pricey proposition – you could buy a decent laptop plus a separate tablet for the same cost. But if you’re looking for something that can fulfil both roles, this powerful, premium computer is a delight.
The two-in-one laptop design doesn’t compromise the aesthetics at all. Its deep blue chassis stands out tastefully from the swamp of monochrome laptops, while sliced-off corners give a pleasing minimalist aesthetic, as do the thin bezels around the display. In tablet mode, magnets hold the screen secure against the chassis, and despite the 14in screen it’s not too heavy to carry around at 1.4kg. My one reservation about the design is a lack of ports: you get one USB-A port on the right-hand side, two USB-C ports on the left – and that’s it.
The keyboard has a comfortable layout and I quickly found myself typing at full speed, enjoying the action as my fingers bounced positively from each keystroke to the next. The haptic touchpad simulates clicking by producing a vibration; I can take or leave this, but I definitely like its smooth texture.
A vibrant OLED screen and a superb keyboard give the Spectre a luxury feel(Image credit: Future)
The star of the design is the 14in, 2,880 x 1,800 OLED touchscreen. On paper it doesn’t appear all that exceptional: it covers 86% of the DCI-P3 color gamut with an average peak brightness of 366cd/m2. However, it delivers wonderfully vibrant colors, making games and videos look much richer, brighter and more solid than the numbers would suggest.
Tucked above the display sits a surprisingly good webcam. Excellent, in fact. Unusually, it offers an Ultra HD, 4K resolution, and image quality is a cut above most rival laptops: my cheeks looked rosy, my surroundings looked bright and colorful, and somehow the windows behind me weren’t blown out.
Audio performance is pleasing, too, thanks to a pair of top-firing speakers. I listened to “This Feels Like the End” by Nothing But Thieves and immediately got into the groove.
The opening percussion was thumping, vocals were crisp and loud and the guitar chords and riffs were bright and urgent.
Whether it’s in tent, laptop or tablet mode, the Spectre is a joy to use(Image credit: Future)
The basic Spectre x360 14 comes with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for £1,499 inc VAT, but I reviewed the premium model with a Core Ultra 7 155H, 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. Unsurprisingly, this high-end hardware let me open dozens of Chrome tabs and a handful of YouTube videos all at once, without the slightest stutter. In Geekbench, the Spectre scored a soaring 12,358, even outpacing the M3 MacBook Pro’s score of 11,968.
The one area of compromise is graphics performance. The HP Spectre x360 14 relies on an integrated Intel Arc GPU, and in the Civilization VI:
Gathering Storm benchmark, it averaged a merely acceptable 36fps at 1080p. In other words, it’s fine for casual titles, but hardcore gamers will demand something more capable.
A final strength is battery life. With a power-efficient processor and no separate GPU to drive, the Spectre x360 14 lasted 11hrs 1min of web surfing, longer than almost any Intel laptop we’ve previously tested – although the M3 MacBook Pro lasted a ridiculous 17hrs 16mins. Heat is well managed, too: after 15 minutes of video streaming, we measured a maximum temperature of 39°C on the underside of the chassis, which is on the warm side but easy to live with if you want to use the Spectre on your lap.
(Image credit: Future)
The new HP Spectre x360 14 is hard to fault. It’s a fast, beautifully designed laptop, with a sumptuous screen, excellent performance and battery life, and the convenience of tent and tablet mode. Gamers will want a more powerful graphics chip, but as a general-purpose productivity and entertainment companion, this laptop is a star that manages to justify its high price.
This review first appeared in issue 355 of PC Pro.
It’s tempting to ignore the diagrams on the Philips 49B2U6900CH box that say, categorically, “this is a two-person job”. So tempting, in fact, that I did ignore them, and was soon struggling to attach the gigantic 49in panel to the gratifyingly sturdy metal stand. At least I had the good sense to clear my desk beforehand, as I looked like a weightlifter huffing and puffing it into place.
But it’s office workers rather than weightlifters that Philips targets here, particularly those who currently have two or three 27in monitors littering their desk. The idea is to replace such anachronisms with a single screen, allowing you to split your windows across the 5,120 x 1,440 pixels (32:9). Windows Snap does a great job of this, but I found I worked best with my windows scattered around; I could then drag the required window front and center as required. If your job involves research, you’ll love having everything in view.
It’s even possible to multitask across two different computers, with a KVM that allows you to switch between sources simply by pressing Ctrl three times. At least one of those sources will need to be connected over USB-C, and with up to 100W of power delivery (on both upstream USB-C ports) this monitor makes an ideal docking station. It even includes a 1GbE port alongside the four USB-A ports and a USB-C downstream port. Sensibly, Philips places that USB-C port, a 3.5mm jack and two USB-A ports on the left-hand side of the monitor for easy access.
The huge 49in VA panel allows you to have multiple windows open at the same time(Image credit: Future)
You’ll also find a flip-out headphone stand here although, for once, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of a monitor’s integrated speakers; I was happy to listen to music while working on the Philips 49B2U6900CH. Although not bass-heavy tracks, as even this pair of 5W speakers sound hollow.
Philips includes a 5MP webcam, which pops up like a periscope when you need it.
It makes sense to keep it up all the time as it can also log you into Windows using facial recognition, plus it includes a “Busylight”. So, if it knows you’re on a video call, a red strip light runs across the top and side to alert colleagues. Or you can activate this yourself using a button on the bottom left. It’s a nice idea, but I hope the next iteration is more prominent.
I also hope that Philips improves the camera. Detail capture is spot on, and the auto-framing option (albeit a tad over-eager) works well, as does the fact that it can accommodate several people in view. However, its color balance needs work, as everything has a strange, hazy blue quality to it. Hopefully this will be fixed via a software update, but in the meantime I recommend using a webcam and a separate mic, as even at maximum pickup I found the built-in option too weak.
I have no such complaints about the panel’s image quality. This is a VA panel with a minor curvature, and it’s tuned for the sRGB color space rather than DCI-P3. There’s even an sRGB preset, which produces excellent whites. Color accuracy is fine for its intended office use, with an average Delta E of 1.13. Keeping to the default mode gives you more colors than sRGB mode, covering 79% of the DCI-3 space compared to 68%, and while whites lose some whiteness it’s still a great everyday choice.
Connections include a 1GbE port alongside four USB-A ports and USB-C(Image credit: Future)
Brightness goes all the way up to 500cd/m2, which is overkill in an office and also consumes more power. At a more sensible 200cd/m2(33% in Philips’ brightness setting) it consumed 44W, while pushing it to 100% eats 71W. Philips also offers a bunch of its SmartImage options, including Eco (125cd/m2, 37W) and EasyRead, which are worth exploring.
There’s a Movie mode, too, with Philips earning DisplayHDR 400 certification for this monitor. Films look good so long as you ignore the huge expanse of black to the left and right. It’s in driving and FPS games, though, where you truly enjoy the wide expanse, and even though it has a peak 75Hz refresh rate this monitor pays extra dividends after hours.
In fact, it delivers in all key areas. Image quality is strong, it’s extremely well suited to office life (note the 150mm of height adjustment), and there are useful features galore. My only real criticism of this monitor is its price.
Working away at a standing desk in the office was once thought to be an odd practice, but standing desks are now believed to offer some health benefits, helping us to be less sedentary at our desk and reduce strain on our backs when working.
With current work from home practices still going strong (despite employers asking staff to return back to the office), more and more people are looking to outfit their personal work space or home offices with the best standing desks.
This is where FlexiSpot has come through with a range of standing desks with different desktop finishes, capable of lifting 100kg for the budget friendly E1 to 180kg for the flagship E9 and accessories to boot.
Today we are reviewing their flagship FlexiSpot E9B-UK which comes with a 140cm x 80cm white laminate desktop.
The desk was delivered in two packages with the FlexiSpot branding displayed proudly and model numbers. The desktop box was a little battered by the courier which left me somewhat worried about it knowing that laminate tops can be chipped or cracked if mal-handled. Point two note that the Standing Desk Frame box was very heavy and ideally you need two people for this job though I managed by myself.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
FlexiSpot E9B-UK: Assembly
Starting with the Standing Desk Frame box and opening that I was greeted by ample packaging with all items wrapped or in soft closed cell foam. Lifting foam out revealed the two standing desk legs which were the main culprit of the heft. All other bits and bobs were in the small boxes you see tucked in between. Removing the second layer of foam brought me to the Standing Desk Frame which is the part that holds the legs and desktop all together, it is inside that where we find the control box, the brains of the desk effectively. Along with some rubberised, height adjustable feet pads.
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(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
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Taking everything out of packaging and boxes shows all the components of the desk, which gives you an idea of how it’s put together. FlexiSpot provides two little hex keys to assemble the desk, whilst these are a welcome for those with no tools, I on the other hand was armed with a combi drill and an assortment of bits.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
Assembling the desk was quick and easy, starting with screwing the desktop supports to the frame then the legs followed by the feet all upside down before (and make sure you have the space) opening the desktop box. The legs are what make this desk, they are made of a solid steel construction with a column front to back thickness of 95.6mm.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
On opening the desktop box, I was pleased to find that the desktop and fully intact with no damage to it. It appears that FlexiSpot knows how couriers sometimes treat boxes, especially one as heavy as this. I noted that FlexiSpot had placed hard plastic corner protectors. We have opted for the 140cm x 80cm desktop.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
There are already pre drilled holes on the underside of the desktop which line up to the screw holes of the standing desk frame and control panel. It is simply a matter of placing the frame on the desktop, locating the holes, screwing it together before flipping the entire desk over so that the desk is the right way up.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
FlexiSpot E9B-UK: Operation
Once completed, the desk will be at its lowest setting, too low for my liking. Checking the control panel, we have the usual “up” and “down” buttons. Next to them is the “M” button which has two uses, lightly pressing on it will allow you to set a memory setting, pressing and holding it will lock the desk height preventing accident height adjustment.
Between the cluster of buttons is the height display. The cluster of buttons to the right are memorised heights of “1” and “2” as well as a memorised “standing” and “sitting” heights. These are adjusted by setting the height first, say 114, pressing the “M” button then the “standing” button. Thereafter every time you press the “Standing” button, the desk will raise itself to 114.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
Lastly, at the end of the control panel is a USB-A port for charging various items, I don’t have any equipment to test the wattage of the port, but trying to charge the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Yoga laptop didn’t work, which requires at least 65W. Plugging my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in showed it as fast charging, this leads me to believe that it is capable of 25W. It would have been nicer to see a USB-C port as that’s becoming the standard with at least 100W output, a missed opportunity.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
About the display, the numbers do actually mean height. At say 110, it means that the bottom of the desktop will be 110cm from the floor. The numbers tick up in centimetre with anything under 100 shown as 99.9cm, anything about 100 shown as whole centimetres. Minimum height is 68.5 and max height is 128cms.
Playing around with the desk on initial setup I was presented with an “E01” error, on reading the manual, it appears that this desk doesn’t like to be adjusted too often and it appears I “overworked” it. This despite the desk being empty. Switching off the desk at the mains and then switching it back on after a few minutes solved the issue, I haven’t seen the error since then for over two weeks of use.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
FlexiSpot E9B-UK: In use
After assembly, I loaded the desk with a very light load of a laptop, monitor and a few other bits and bobs. The desk performed flawlessly, silently, swiftly and most importantly, smoothly too. And it should do too as this desk has brushless motors which have better longevity, speed and weight capacity when compared to their brushed brethren.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
Confidence gained, I loaded the desk with my main set up, whilst I knew that the desk would have no issue in lifting my 25Kg+ desktop PC, I decided not to place it on the desk for the sake of cable management. It did however have to lift and lower the Innocn 49Q1S monitor which we reviewed a few months back, this weighs in at a not heavy but bulky 12Kg as well as a few accessories.
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I set my sitting height at 74cm and standing height at 114cm, I found desk had no issue lifting the entire setup as shown with little to no wobble from the monitor. I have noted that the desk also has a collision detection system where if any part of the desk encounters resistance whilst going in either direction, the desk will stop and back off a few centimetres.
On to cable management. The cables for the desk such those that connect the legs and control panel to the central box in the frame are a little too long so had to be tucked away. Thankfully, FlexiSpot provides a little magnetic cover that hides those cables. For my desktop PCs cables I used a cable sleeve for the cables and then from there used lots of sticky cable tacks to hold them against the underside of the desktop neatly.
(Image credit: FlexiSpot)
FlexiSpot E9B-UK: Price and availability
Lastly, the cost at time of writing the frame of the E9B-UK alone costs £499.99, our combination to white laminate desktop at 140 x 80cm brings this to £629.98. the most expensive combination coming in at £749.98 for a 180 x 80cm desktop made from Bamboo. And, that’s before we add any accessories such as a cable management tray, power plugs or drawers. If that’s too costly, then FlexiSpot also sells the E1 desk, with the same desktop colour finish and size it retails for £239.98 but with a lower load capacity and missing some features.
FlexiSpot E9B-UK: Final verdict
So, what’s the verdict of the FlexiSpot E9B-UK standing desk? Overall, a well-made, sturdy, smooth and hefty desk with a heavy load capacity. There's not much to dislike about this desk if you’re in the market for a standing desk then this should definitely be on your shortlist.
‘EAT’ = ‘European Audio Team’. ‘C-Dur’ = ‘C-Major’ in German. ‘Concrete’ = ‘a blend of aggregates bound together by a hydraulic binder’. Put the three together and you’ve one of the most individual and dramatic-looking record players around, not to mention one of the more expensive.
The C-Dur Concrete has the technical foundations to back up the asking price, though. The turntable itself, its ‘C-Note’ aluminum/carbon fibre tonearm and its ‘Jo No.8’ high-output moving coil cartridge are all painstakingly engineered and work together harmoniously – and the result is a record player that, in the right system, is a pleasure to listen to in many respects.
It’s a staggeringly insightful device, for starters, even among the best turntables – no detail of a recording is too fine, too minor or too transient to elude it. It’s organized, too, able to describe a soundstage with complete confidence and make the spaces on it just as significant as the occurrences. Low-frequency control is absolute, so rhythmic expression is utterly convincing. And when it comes to big dynamic shifts, it is just as accomplished as it is with low-key harmonic variations.
A lack of outright scale undermines the C-Dur Concrete, though – it doesn’t sound especially big, and although it’s organized and controlled, the soundstage it generates is undeniably positioned between the speakers you’re listening to. And when you’re talking about this sort of money for a record player, this has to count as a fairly significant shortcoming.
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Price & release date
The EAT C-Dur Concrete is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it costs £6,499. That’s the price for the turntable and its bespoke C-Tone tonearm – if you want to add the (recommended) Jo No.8 high-output moving coil cartridge (which is how this review is conducted), that price rises to £8,098. That’s because the cartridge costs £1,999 when purchased separately, or £1,599 if purchased at the same time as the turntable.
In America you’ll have to fork out around $7,499 for the turntable, plus an additional $2,495 for the cartridge – a discounted price for the pair is likely to be available, but there was nothing confirmed at the time of writing. No pricing is available for Australia as yet, but a quick look at today’s exchange rates suggests something like AU$12,999 plus AU$3,999 for the cartridge will be in order.
Not cheap, is it (he said helpfully)? And yet you’ve a stack of choice when it comes to alternatives. None of them is made of concrete, admittedly, but models from brands as credible as Linn, Pro-Ject and Rega (to name just three) are all available at comparable money.
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Features
33.3, 45 and 78rpm
254mm aluminum/carbon tonearm
High output moving coil cartridge
Undeniably, some of the ‘pull’ of the C-Dur Concrete is, well, the concrete that’s used in its construction. But this is no mere design exercise, this is a deadly series turntable with the feature-set to back up the giddy asking price.
For instance, the chunky (5.2kg) platter is internally damped with a thermoplastic elastomer that offers both density and stability. A 900g aluminum sub-platter gives the platter even more isolation from the motor. The bearing block adds another 1.8kg to the overall weight and uses a polished stainless steel spindle to support an inverted ceramic ball that functions as the main bearing. This pairs with a Teflon plate for even greater rotational stability.
The drive system, meanwhile, isolates the motor in a steel ring positioned in the concrete chassis itself, enhancing the platter’s chances of stable and uniform rotation. It also reduces resonance transfer (already extremely low, thanks again to all that concrete). The motor has two areas for connection to a drive belt – and the turntable is supplied with two different belts, both of anti-static polished rubber.
The first is relatively broad and flat, sits on the upper part of the motor and allows for 33.3 and 45rpm. The other is a ‘string’ shape and fits over the motor’s lower portion – this is the belt you fit if you want the platter to turn at 78rpm.
The pre-fitted C-Note tonearm is, at 254mm, longer than the norm, is made from aluminum and carbon fiber for maximum rigidity, and is internally damped with silicon grease for as much resonance rejection as is realistically possible. It’s a unipivot design, which ought to guarantee its cardan bearing is never overloaded – and the bearing itself is designed to offer minimum resistance and maximum stability.
The over-engineering of the tonearm makes a lot more sense when you get a look at the cartridge it’s designed to support. The Jo No.8 high-output moving coil cartridge features a nude Shibata stylus on a boron cantilever, with high-end copper windings (which is the sort of specification the asking price demands) – but it’s the 19.2 x 25.1 x 28.3mm (HxWxD) dimensions that are most immediately striking. ‘Oversized’ only begins to describe it.
So this is incredibly well-specced and thought-out when it comes to the functional features of being an impressive turntable – but it's very much just a core turntable, so don't expect any 'modern' features such as Bluetooth connectivity or USB output here.
Features score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Sound quality
Remarkable insight and detail retrieval
Organized, controlled and yet dynamic presentation
Sounds rather small-scale and confined
The ‘pros’ are more numerous than the ‘cons’ where the sound of the C-Dur Concrete is concerned – but the ‘cons’ are significant, so we may as well start there before moving on to the many ways in which this is a straightforwardly admirable player.
The sound of the C-Dur Concrete is on the small side. Everything that happens, happens within the confines of the outer edges of the speakers you’re listening to – and consequently it’s never easy to shake the idea of a ‘point source’ of sound.
The outer edges of the cabinets of your speaker define the outer edges of the soundstage the EAT can create – in this respect it sounds unlike any price-comparable alternative, and not in a good way. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big ensemble (such as that involved in Miles Davis’ Concierto de Aranjuez) or just a voice and a guitar (like Nick Drake’s Parasite); the presentation is organized and controlled, but undeniably confined.
Get beyond this not-insignificant shortcoming, though, and the C-Dur Concrete is an extremely adept and accomplished device. Its facility with detail retrieval is approaching staggering – there isn’t a fleeting occurrence in a recording that’s too minor or too deep in the mix to evade it. And having teased out all these fine details, the C-Dur has absolutely no problem putting them into convincing context. Even if it’s the most transient harmonic variation in the strum of an acoustic guitar, this EAT turntable lets you know all about it.
The soundstage the turntable creates is believable, and it somehow manages to give elbow-room to every element of a recording even though the stage itself is nowhere near as expansive as it could (and should) be. Its tonality is carefully neutral, which allows the inherent sound of a recording to be expressed without any overt interference. And it balances the frequency range carefully, giving no undue prominence to any area.
Low-frequency information is robust and substantial, and is controlled with such certainty that rhythmic expression (often held up as one of the most obvious strengths of the vinyl format) is entirely natural. Midrange expression, too, is accomplished – the voice during I Kicked a Boy by The Sundays is intimate, immediate and direct. And the top of the frequency range has bite and brilliance in fairly equal measure, so treble sounds shine without threatening to become edgy or glassy.
Everything hangs together in an unforced and convincing manner – there’s a genuine sensation of singularity and unity to the C-Dur Concrete’s presentation that makes me want to reach for the dreaded word ‘musical’. And the spaces and silences in recordings are not only given their due emphasis, they’re as dark and as quiet as from any turntable I’ve ever heard. This inky backdrop from which sounds occur is one of the most gratifying things about this whole EAT listening experience.
Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Design
170 x 496 x 396mm (HxWxD)
32kg in weight
Supported on three conical, height-adjustable, damped aluminum feet
If it’s a little visual drama you’re after, you’ve come to the right place. EAT will sell you a version of the C-Dur built of MDF and finished in black or plum for quite a lot less money than this – but once you’ve seen (and touched) this concrete version, it’s hard to resist from a design standpoint.
At 170 x 496 x 396mm (HxWxD) it’s fairly big, although not too big to be accommodated by a standard equipment rack. At 32kg with its platter in place, it’s heavier than the heaviest turntable you’ve ever encountered – and all of that weight is supported on a trio of pointed aluminium feet.
They’re ideal for isolating the deck from external vibration, and can help in getting the turntable absolutely level, but they concentrate the whole 32kg on to three tiny points, which means that an extremely robust and hard-wearing shelf is in order if the C-Dur Concrete isn’t just going to drive itself into the surface it’s standing on.
The standard of build and finish is, as seems only reasonable when you consider the asking price, basically impeccable. Any tiny flaws in the concrete (each plinth is unique, of course) only add to the character, and the tonearm feels as good (and as expensive) as it looks. Even the cartridge body – which is polished chestnut – offers a bit of pizzazz.
Design score: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Usability & setup
Automatic speed change
Semi-balanced five-pin DIN to RCA cable
Optional (and cost-option) power supply upgrade
As with a lot of turntables, there’s a degree of fairly fiddly set-up required to get the EAT C-Dur Concrete ready for action. Unlike quite a few turntables, though, once you’ve been through the set-up process then operating the EAT is quite a painless process.
As usual, the counterweight and anti-skate setting need to be attended to. After that, though, it’s simply a question of fitting your preferred drive belt (which, let’s be honest, is going to be the broader of the two that lets you listen to 33.3 or 45rpm discs), connecting the semi-balanced five-pin DIN end of the cable to the deck and its left/right RCAs to your (pre)amplifier at the other, and plugging in the power adapter. Speed change is facilitated by two of the big buttons on the plinth – the other is used for putting the turntable into ‘standby’.
It’s worth mentioning that both the cable and the power supply can be upgraded. A fully balanced cable is (inevitably) a cost option (£175, or £499 for the silver alternative if you’re feeling super-flush), and EAT will also sell you a linear power supply (£1,349 if purchased individually, a trifling £1,079 if you buy it at the same time as the turntable).
EAT is confident the C-Dur Concrete’s AC generator, which uses the DC current from the power supply, generates an almost entirely clean AC signal for the motor – but if you want to make it as noiseless as possible then the linear power supply is what you need.
Usability and setup score: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Value
Requires add-ons to reach full potential
Not a class-leading performer for the price
But it's hard to argue with its physical impact
I almost wrote that it’s impossible to put a price on an aesthetic as striking and individual as this, but demonstrably it’s not. In the context of the sound it makes, the C-Dur Concrete is far from the last word in value for money (and becomes less so if you take the company up on its offer of an upgraded power supply), but that’s not the same as saying it doesn’t sound splendid in many ways.
And if you find yourself smitten by the looks, the areas in which it’s not a class-leading performer might be easier to overlook – but with my hardest ‘consumer advice’ head on, it’s hard to make a watertight case for this turntable representing authentic value.
Value score: 3 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the EAT C-Dur Concrete?
Buy it if…
You’re a fan of visual (as well as audio) excellence Once you get up to this area of the market, there are a few turntables that offer a bit of visual drama – but none of them makes use of concrete…View Deal
You value sonic detail and insight above all else Between them, the turntable, the C-Note tonearm and the Jo No.8 cartridge are capable of unearthing the finest of fine details and handing them over without fuss.View Deal
You have a system that justifies the outlay Don’t imagine you’ll hear the C-Dur Concrete at its best unless its partnering amplification and speakers are equally capable (and, inevitably, equally pricey).View Deal
Don't buy it if…
You’re expecting appreciable scale of sound For all its many talents, the C-Dur Concrete is far from the most expansive-sounding turntable around.View Deal
You don't like having to pay more to complete the set Paying big money for a cartridge is fair enough, but at this price, the EAT really should come with its optimum connection incuded and power-cable options as standard.View Deal
Your shelves are of soft (or even soft-ish) wood 32kg balanced on three tiny pointy points will damage a soft-ish shelf almost immediately.View Deal
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Also consider
Rega Planar 10 The more money you spend on a Rega turntable, the less it seems to buy you – but never doubt that it’s buying remarkable audio fidelity. The Planar 10 (£7,395 with RB3000 tonearm and Alpheta 3 cartridge) is entirely lacking when it comes to visual drama, but most certainly has it where sound quality is concerned. It’s an open, revealing, wide-screen listen with an absolute stack of pertinent observations to make about both your recordings and the vinyl on which they are pressed. Unless you want your record player to be interesting even when it’s not working, the Planar 10 absolutely demands your attention if this is your budget range.View Deal
How I tested EAT C-Dur Concrete
I listened to the C-Dur Concrete for well over a week, with a variety of music on vinyl in a variety of conditions. It was positioned on the top shelf of my Blok Stax 2G equipment rack (which is how I know the weight of the turntable can damage wooden shelves), and connected via its supplied semi-balanced cable to a Chord Huei phono stage, which it turn was connected to a Naim Uniti Star acting as a volume control and pre-amplifier.
The Naim was connected to a Cambridge Audio Edge W stereo power amplifier, which drove a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature loudspeakers on their bespoke FS-600 S3 stands.
The Yaber K3 is a budget smart projector that offers 1080p resolution, 1600 ANSI lumens brightness and built-in access to streaming services such as Netflix and Disney Plus. While it delivers good sound and a Google TV smart interface for cheap, its picture quality is inconsistent and there are several other issues with it as well.
A smart projector such as the Yaber K3 for $599 / £569 is a tempting prospect, especially when it can light up 40-200-inch screens. And while it’s not as well featured as the best projectors, built-in Wi-Fi and decent built-in speakers are hard to find at this price range. But some of the K3’s other main features such as its auto keystone correction and processing are sluggish and often frustrating to use. Gamers will also be better off looking elsewhere.
The K3’s picture quality is a very mixed bag. It displays natural colors and solid enough detail at times and puts in a decent showing with sports. But contrast is weak and black levels are washed out. The K3’s picture quality was never going to compete with the best 4K projectors, but even compared with some of the best portable projectors, such as the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2, the K3’s picture struggles.
Where the K3 excels is its sound, as the built-in JBL speakers are punchy and powerful, especially at this budget price range. While one of the best soundbars is still recommended, some won’t find the need to add one, especially for casual viewing.
Fundamentally, the Yaber K3 is for those who are looking for a smart projector at an affordable price for the occasional movie night. While it packs as much as it can into its budget-friendly frame, it’s not quite the bargain budget gem it could have been.
Yaber K3 projector review: Price & release date
The Yaber K3 has natural enough colors but they appear washed out in some instances (Image credit: Future)
Price: $599 / £569 (roughly AU$942)
First available: September 2024
The Yaber K3 is a 1080p smart projector that follows on from Yaber’s K2 series. The K3 is priced at $599 / £569 (roughly AU$942 with direct exchange), putting it at the budget end of the projector spectrum in direct competition with portable projectors such as the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 (also a 1080p smart projector) which has a standard price of $749 / £649.
Since its release in September 2024, there have been some discounts on the Yaber K3, with prices falling to $499 / £465 during sales events. This is similar to the discounts the Samsung Freestyle receives, as it’s regularly priced at $549 / £499 during sales events.
Yaber K3 projector review: Specs
Yaber K3 projector review: Design & features
1600 ANSI lumens
Google TV smart interface
Nice fabric grill but bulky elsewhere
The Yaber K3 offers access to smart features and streaming via Google TV at a budget price (Image credit: Future)
The Yaber K3’s fabric front grill gives it a slightly more premium appearance than its budget price would suggest, but elsewhere it appears a little plain and oddly bulky looking. It measures 11.4 x 12.7 x 6.1 inches (290 x 3232 x 154mm) and requires a mains power supply with no battery options. There’s also a noticeable amount of fan noise after extended viewing periods.
The K3 has a specified 1080p resolution and 1600 ANSI lumens brightness. It has a 1.2:1 throw ratio and fits screens from 40-200 inches. Auto and manual keystone adjustment and object detection count among its features, but I generally found that auto keystone was frustrating and often didn’t calibrate correctly to the Optoma 80-inch portable screen I was using for my tests. Manual keystone correction can only be done via the Yaber homepage and not while watching content – another aspect I found frustrating.
Despite its budget price, it uses Google TV as a smart TV interface. This provides access to some of the best streaming services including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney Plus. For connections, it has two HDMI ports, one USB-A port, a 3.5mm audio output and Bluetooth wireless.
The K3 has a surprisingly robust built-in speaker system for such a budget projector, with dual 15W JBL speakers totaling 30W of power.
No gaming features are included on the K3. For those looking for a gaming projector, you’re better off with something like the BenQ X300G.
The Yaber K3 displays details well on occasion, but textures and contrast are often inconsistent and unbalanced (Image credit: Future)
Inconsistent picture quality
Decent enough colors
Surprisingly punchy sound
For my testing, I used an Optoma 80-inch, 1.0 gain matte white projection screen. I first began by taking brightness measurements using a colorimeter, and the K3 yielded results of 109 nits and 93 nits in Standard and Natural picture modes respectively, putting it above 4K portable projectors such as the LG CineBeam Q (which yielded 60 nits in Filmmaker Mode).
Moving on to critical viewing, I first looked at an HD stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Disney Plus, focusing on the throne room fight scene. Colors were natural enough, but they lacked any sort of dynamic punch. Characters’ skin tones also appeared washed out, even in the most accurate Natural picture mode (though there wasn’t a great deal of difference between the various picture modes). The same was true for La La Land on Blu-ray, which showed natural colors but also inaccurate textures, although in some scenes details were more refined than I’d anticipated.
Next, I watched a Blu-ray of The Batman to test black levels and contrast. While mostly acceptable, I found some scenes difficult to watch due to limited brightness (namely the opening crime scene investigation) even in blacked-out viewing conditions. In brighter scenes, details were clear and accurate enough, but there was a gray wash over the screen and textures still appeared fuzzy.
One area where the K3 did well was with sports. Watching soccer matches in Sports mode, the action was smooth and accurate enough that the games were watchable, though it won’t beat more premium projectors.
While the K3’s picture is average, its built-in sound is surprisingly good. Equipped with a JBL speaker system totaling 30W of power, the K3's sound is punchy, detailed and clear. Watching the Batmobile chase sequence in The Batman, the sound of swerving cars was accurately presented, with a strong sense of direction. The rumble of the Batmobile’s engine had a hefty amount of bass and plenty of power, especially for small built-in projector speakers.
Even La La Land’s dynamic, jazzy score was presented with real clarity, with a good balance between the horns, strings and vocals throughout. While the JBL speaker’s soundstage is limited by its size, it’s still surprisingly effective for a built-in speaker at this price range.
Picture and sound quality: 3/5
Yaber K3 projector review: Value
The Yaber K3's remote is cheap-feeling but has the buttons you need (Image credit: Future)
Smart projector for a budget price
Cheaper than most portable projectors
Overall performance is frustrating
The $599 / £569 Yaber K3 is good value for those looking for an affordable projector that provides access to streaming services via the Google TV smart platform. It isn’t going to beat more premium projectors and may even struggle against some of the best portable projectors, but for those looking for a casual projector, the K3 is a budget-friendly option.
Unfortunately, shortcomings in the K3’s picture quality and some frustrations with setup such as keystone correction hold it back from being a budget gem. You’ll have to make some sacrifices, particularly with sound, on other portable projectors such as the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2, but the Freestyle is likely to give you a more consistent experience for a similar price.
Value score: 3.5/5
Should I buy the Yaber K3 projector?
Black levels are one of the K3's weakest areas, with pictures appearing washed out at most times (Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a smart projector for cheap If you're looking for a projector with access to streaming services like Netflix but don't want to break the bank, the Yaber K3 ticks the boxes. View Deal
You want a projector with solid built-in sound Yes, the K3's JBL speaker system isn't going to beat a soundbar, but at this price, it does a pretty good job.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You want a consistent picture Brightness and colors are OK on the K3, but its contrast, textures, detail and motion handling are all inconsistent, with not many ways to tweak or improve things.View Deal
You want a hassle-free setup In my testing, I found both auto and manual keystone adjustments to be frustrating and time-consuming. View Deal
Also consider
Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 The Samsung Freestyle may not be as bright and its sound isn't as good as the Yaber K3s sound, but its interface is more responsive and its overall picture quality is superior. Although pricier normally, the Freestyle Gen 2 is frequently on sale. Read our full Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 projector review.
Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro The MoGo 3 Pro is a budget, portable HD projector that's cheaper than the K3 and it offers HDR support and good picture quality. But the K3 takes the crown when it comes to sound. Read our full Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro review.
LG CineBeam Q Pricier than the K3, the LG CineBeam Q offers 4K resolution in a compact, stylish portable design. Its interface is also more responsive. The K3 may have better sound, but it pales in comparison in all other areas. Read our full LG CineBeam Q review.
How I tested the Yaber K3 projector
(Image credit: Future)
Tested with an Optoma 1.0 gain, matte white 80-inch screen
Tested using Blu-ray, streaming sources
Measurements taken using Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software
To test the Yaber K3 projector, I first used high definition and standard definition sources including Blu-ray and streaming. I tested the K3's picture quality, analyzing color, contrast, black levels, detail and motion. I also evaluated its built-in JBL sound using the same reference scenes from movies and TV shows.
I used a colorimeter, test pattern generator and Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software to record measurements for brightness, contrast ratio and color and grayscale accuracy.
The projector was primarily tested in pitch-black conditions in our testing room at TechRadar and also in full ambient light settings to see how it handled brighter viewing environments.
NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition: One-minute review
The NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition is a brand-new variant of CRKD’s Neo S controller. Functionally, the controller is the exact same as the regular one, but this specific variant comes bundled with a 5-fret attachment designed for Fortnite Festival and other rhythm games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band.
The fret attachment slots into the bottom of the controller via the headphone jack, and from there it’s good to go. The obvious comparison is that of the Guitar Hero: On Tour series of games, which featured a similar attachment for the Nintendo DS. However, the issues that plagued that release over a decade and a half ago still persist here.
The fret buttons are small with very little spacing in comparison to a regular guitar controller, and holding the controller in the guitar form can become quite uncomfortable – especially with bigger hands. I’ve tested the NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret for three months or so now and found it difficult to play for over a couple of hours.
The biggest issue is that there’s no good way to strum in guitar-led rhythm games. The default option is to tap the RB button, which is useless when you have to strum in quick succession; meanwhile, mapping it to the stick works slightly better, but it’s still no substitute. If you’re looking for a way to play rhythm games casually, then it’s more than serviceable. But anyone looking to seriously delve into the genre is better off looking for a more suitable controller like the PDP Riffmaster.
The controller features an Xbox layout and has Bluetooth connectivity, making it great for the PC. However, it doesn’t connect to Xbox consoles (although this is promised in a future update). It does connect to the Nintendo Switch – but it’s awkward to play due to the buttons being swapped around from the usual Nintendo layout.
(Image credit: Future)
NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition: Price and availability
List price:$59.99 / £59.99 / AU$119.95
Available in the US via the CRKD website
Available in the UK via Argos and Amazon
The NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition launched back in November 2024 and costs $59.99 / £59.99 / AU$119.95 – making it $10 / £10 / AU$20 more expensive than the regular NEO S controller. However, it’s currently the only way to get the five-fret attachment for the controller. It’s compatible with Nintendo Switch, PC, smart TVs, and mobile devices at the moment, with Xbox support promised to arrive later down the line.
NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition: Specs
NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition: Design and features
Guitar attachment designed for rhythm gaming
Bespoke Fortnite Festival design inspired by the game
Programmable back buttons and fret buttons
One of the Neo S controller’s main gimmicks is the litany of custom designs available, such as one inspired by the Nintendo Famicom color scheme, 90’s-style translucent variants, and collabs with the likes of Rocket League and Hellboy.
The Fortnite Festival edition is a purple variant with a wavy design that features different shades of purple, while the d-pad, shoulder, and back buttons are bright pink. Meanwhile, the back of the controller is a solid purple shell. It’s a lovely-looking controller until you notice the gaudy Fortnite Festival logo slap-bang in the middle. A more subtle Fortnite design or emblem would’ve been preferable.
This design isn’t extended to the guitar attachment, which is also just a solid purple – although the lighter pink does appear at the fringe of each button. When the attachment isn’t on the controller, it does feel a bit flimsy, like the plastic could snap very easily.
This doesn’t help when getting it onto the controller can feel quite fiddly. You need to pop it on at an angle before pushing the top into the ridges, but lining the bottom up can be a bit cumbersome. This attachment comes with a Velcro strap, which you pop in between the controller and guitar, making it easier to hold like a standard guitar neck.
(Image credit: Future)
The Guitar attachment features five buttons to emulate the classic Guitar Hero formula; these buttons are automatically mapped to the buttons used for each lane in Fortnite Festival.
The controller comes with three modes: one for Easy, Medium, and Hard modes in-game, another for Expert, and another for Pro mode (which is the one designed for guitar controllers). You can swap through all three of these modes by holding down all five frets, with the LED on the attachment changing color to represent another mode. You can also rebind these buttons to be used in regular games, although the position of them may not make this the most optimal.
Unfortunately, I found the NEO S Fortnite Festival Edition quite uncomfortable to hold after long sessions – more so than the discomfort of a regular guitar controller. However, it’s far more comfortable in wireless mode, as the USB-C port at the top of the controller gets in the way otherwise.
NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition: Performance
Solid battery life
Easy to set up
Custom button mapping requires using a mobile app
The NEO S works straight out of the box with a USB-C cable connection to PC, or by holding the CRKD button and left on the d-pad to enable Bluetooth connection for PC or mobile. For the Nintendo Switch, it’s as simple as holding the CRKD button while on the controller connect screen. The NEO S Fortnite Festival Edition’s battery life lasted around eight hours from my testing. I didn’t notice much difference in battery drain when using the guitar attachment.
The controller is fully remappable; however, if you’re looking to remap the buttons, you’ll need to do so in the CRKD app. This extends to the Guitar attachment too, which can be mapped to any button on the controller and works even outside of Fortnite Festival. However, there’s no way to actually select and enter a song in Fortnite Festival without using the regular controller.
(Image credit: Future)
The default mapping for the strum bar is the bumper buttons, which is fine for casual play, but the issues become apparent once you’re faced with fast-moving songs like Metallica’s Battery. While a strum bar would allow you to alternate directions for faster moments, tapping one button makes this tiresome, or near-impossible in some cases. You can remap the control stick to work as a strum bar, which feels like the ideal solution, however, I couldn’t get this to work in Fortnite, but it does work in fan games like Clone Hero.
CRKD was founded by former RedOctane staff – who created the original Guitar Hero controllers – meaning that these buttons feel in line with the original series (namely the DS Guitar Grip). However, if you want to play this style of music game seriously, I’d recommend investing in a proper guitar controller.
Should I buy the NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a way to play Fortnite Festival Pro Mode or other guitar games At the end of the day this controller is made with this in mind. It works for playing these modes casually and allows players the chance to experience the classic genre without forking out a lot for a guitar controller.
You’re getting a NEO S and like Fortnite Festival For only $10 / £10 / AU$20 more I don’t see much reason not to pick this version up compared to the regular NEO S if you have even a passing interest in Fortnite Festival. Considering this is the only way to get the guitar attachment currently, I’d say it’s worth the upgrade.
Don't buy it if...
You plan on playing guitar games seriously While it’s definitely possible for someone to tear it up with the NEO S Fortnite Festival Edition, the setbacks make this hard. If you were playing the likes of Metallica or Slayer on Guitar Hero, I’d invest in a regular guitar controller.
You have big hands or fingers The NEO S is quite snug as a controller and the guitar attachment follows that form. The buttons on the guitar attachment do the job, but are very small and don’t have much space between them, making it easy to double-fret.
Also consider...
Still not sold on the CKRD NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition? Here’s how it compares to the other Guitar Controller on the market and a more regular pad for reference.
PDP Riffmaster This is a great alternative because the PDP Riffmaster is the only proper guitar controller on sale right now. PDP was responsible for the last batch of Rock Band 4 guitars, so these are almost exactly alike.
GameSir Nova If you’re looking for a good Nintendo Switch and PC controller with stats comparable to the NEO S at a cheaper price point then the GameSir Nova may be up your alley. However, this obviously doesn’t support the Fortnite Festival guitar controller addon, but you are still able to play the mode with a regular controller!
How I tested the NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition
Tested for around 15-20 hours
Used it to play Fortnite Festival and Clone Hero on PC
Used it as a regular controller on Nintendo Switch
I’ve been using the NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition on PC and Nintendo Switch since mid-December 2024 (so just under two months). During this time I’ve played a bunch of Fortnite Festival, but my true love affair has been with Clone Hero. I tested the controller in a variety of different musical situations: acoustic tunes that rely on strumming patterns with multiple notes, thrash tunes that require a ton of fast-paced strumming, and songs with wailing guitar solos (yes, I did play Free Bird).
In my experience, it worked best in slower songs and songs with a lot of hammer-ons and pull-offs due to my issue with the strum bar. The highlight of this experience was playing a custom chart of the full Flood album by They Might Be Giants, which featured a lot of piano (among other instruments) charted to Guitar Hero’s clear notes, which didn’t require me to strum.
The Anker PowerCore Essential 20000 is a power bank designed for charging smartphones and other smaller devices multiple times, thanks to its 20,000mAh capacity.
As you might expect from a fairly simple power bank, the PowerCore Essential 20000 isn’t particularly striking in terms of its appearance. However, it does sport a nice texture on the front panel, and the overall build feels solid and premium – as is the case with many of Anker’s power banks.
While it’s quite thin and narrow, it’s also long and reasonably heavy, which compromises its portability somewhat compared to some of the best power banks. However, this is still a relatively easy power bank to travel with, and it reduces the dimensions that matter most.
The PowerCore Essential 20000 features a single power button, which feels as premium as the rest of the bank. It has four LED dots around the bottom to indicate the battery level. However, these are very dim, which makes them hard to see at certain angles and in certain lights, which is less than ideal if you want to quickly glance over to check the status.
There are four ports on the PowerCore Essential 20000, two of which are USB-A for charging your devices, with a power output of 15W each. You can also charge two devices at the same time, and there’s a trickle charging mode designed for safely replenishing small devices with low power draws, such as smartwatches and wireless earbuds. This can be activated by pressing the power button twice. However, when on, the fourth LED will remain green no matter what the battery level is, which is a shame.
I managed to charge my Google Pixel 7a from 50% to 100% in 90 minutes, which is a reasonable performance. It depleted the PowerCore Essential 20000 by a single bar, which means you should get a couple of full phone charges out of it. Replenishing the PowerCore Essential 20000 from two bars to full took about six hours, which is less impressive.
Ultimately, the PowerCore Essential 20000 doesn’t represent the best value when you consider its lackluster port selection, power, and features. It’s capacity does make it more practical than it otherwise would be, but there are better-priced alternatives out there.
You want a thin power bank Given its 20,000mAh capacity, the PowerCore Essential 20000 is surprisingly thin, which does help with portability.
You only want to charge small devices The 15W output is enough for charging smartphones and smaller devices quickly, and the 20,000mAh capacity means it can do so multiple times.
Don't buy it if…
You want good port selection Despite having four ports, only two can be used for charging devices, and they are both USB-A; the USB-C and micro USB ports can only be used for charging the bank itself.
You want to charge bigger devices With only 15W of power, the PowerCore Essential 20000 can’t charge laptops and the like.
Anker PowerCore Essential 20000 review: also consider
Juovi J2621 The Juovi J261 has the same capacity as the PowerCore Essential 20000, but much more power at 45W. It also has four ports that are all capable of charging devices, including two USB-C ports to keep up with the times. To top it all off, it’s cheaper too. However, it’s notably bigger in size than the PowerCore Essential 20000, which may deter those who like to travel light. Read our JUOVI J2621 20000mAh 45W Power Bank review.
If you can't get your hands on the Ninja Creami Swirl, the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker could be the next best thing. It isn't as advanced as the Ninja machine, but can produce a smooth and creamy dessert once you get used to its quirks.
Preparing your ice cream is straightforward, and Cuisinart provides a good online recipe book to get you started. However, you have to keep a very close eye on the machine to ensure you stop it when your mix reaches the right temperature. Stop it too late and you'll have to wait for it to melt, or pull the churning mechanism out and scoop your ice cream out with a spoon. It's not the end of the world, but a timer would help avoid such issues arising.
The miniature hot plate for keeping sauces or melted chocolate warm is a nice touch and works well, but I'd argue that there's no need for three different topping containers – particularly since the design of their dispensing mechanism means most candies are too large.
It can be fun to use, but it would be difficult to justify spending on the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream maker unless you eat frozen desserts several times a week. It's reasonably priced and often available at a discount, but it takes up a lot of valuable space in your kitchen
Stop the machine when your ice cream reaches "Goldilocks" consistency, and it should pour out smoothly when you open the dispenser (Image credit: Future)
Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: price and availability
List price $179.95 / £200 / AU$249
Sometimes available at a discount
About half the price of Ninja Creami Swirl
The Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker has a list price of $179.95 / £200 / AU$249. It's available direct from Cuisinart's online store, and from third-party retailers such as Amazon. It's sometimes available for a discount, and you'll find all today's best prices below.
For comparison, the Ninja Creami Swirl comes in at almost twice the price at $349. At the time of writing (February 2025), international prices and availability had yet to be announced.
If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, the ice cream maker attachment works in a similar way to the Cuisinart, using a frozen bowl and a rotary motor to churn your ingredients while they freeze, but it lacks a soft-serve dispenser. It retails for $99.99 / £149 / AU$209.
Value score: 4.5/5
Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: design
Bulky, not very attractive
Excellent mini hotplate for sauces
Topping dispensers aren't ideal
The Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker is a large appliance, and at 17.7 inches / 45cm, it only just fit beneath my kitchen wall cabinets. Its footprint is relatively small though (9.4 x 11 inches / 24 x 28cm), which is more compact than a lot of coffee makers. You might not want to keep it on the kitchen counter at all times, though; its white plastic chassis is functional and easy to clean, but not a thing of great beauty.
From a mechanical perspective, it's quite simple. There's a double-insulated bowl that you freeze ahead of time, which cools your ingredients to freeze them as they're churned. When your ice cream is ready, simply switch off the motor, open a tap on the bottom, and the finished dessert pours out in a smooth stream (provided you've judged the timings correctly).
You'll need to freeze the main bowl and chill your blended ingredients for at least four hours before making your ice cream (Image credit: Future)
There are three removable topping containers on the top right of the machine, which I initially loaded with candy. Unfortunately, I later realized that they were only capable of dispensing very small items such as sprinkles due to the size of the mechanism inside. Toppings such as M&Ms or nuts will be too large, which is a shame. All three toppings are dispensed through a single funnel, which propels them into your ice cream as it pours. During my tests this mostly worked well, but some sprinkles ended up overshooting.
The Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker also has a small hotplate on the left-hand side of the bowl, with a little saucepan that you can use to melt a sauce to pour over your finished ice cream.
Design score: 3.5 / 5
Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: performance
Cuisinart's website has a good selection of simple recipes for the Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker, all of which can be adapted to suit your tastes. I started with the fresh strawberry ice cream, which is a mix of double cream, milk, hulled strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar.
You need to keep the bowl upright while it freezes, but I found it fitted in my freezer's deepest drawer quite easily, and I was able to stuff it with small frozen items to make good use of the space until I was ready to use it.
You'll need to blend your mix (take a look at our roundup of the best blenders, if you've been thinking about upgrading) then chill the mix for at least four hours before you start churning.
Once your mix is cold, it's time to begin. The frozen bowl fits easily into place inside the machine, then the lid with the churning mechanism clips on top. Once it's all in place, you start the machine using the switch on the left; make sure the lever is pushed up into the "closed" position, and pour your mix through the L-shaped hole in the top. I forgot to check the lever on my first attempt, which was a messy mistake.
The mini hotplate is activated by turning the control dial all the way to the right, and during testing it worked very well. It provides gentle heat while your ice cream churns, and will melt a cube or two of chocolate by the time your dessert is ready.
I initially filled the topping dispensers with candy, but they're not actually suitable for anything larger than sprinkles (Image credit: Future)
Unlike the Ninja Creami Swirl, the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker relies on gravity to dispense your ice cream, so it needs to be just the right consistency. If you allow the mix to chill too long, it will fail to flow through the dispenser, and eventually the churning mechanism will stop turning. This won't break the machine, but you'll need to wait for the ice cream to thaw a little before you can continue, or remove the lid and churning mechanism (which can be tricky if the ice cream has become stiff) and scoop out the dessert instead.
For best results, don't churn for longer than 20 minutes. If I wasn't sure that I'd achieved the right consistency, I found it helpful to turn off the machine, then use a spoon to scoop some of the mixture out of the bowl to assess its thickness. A programmable timer would be a good addition to avoid accidentally over-chilling the mix.
The topping dispenser has a tendency to overshoot your dessert (Image credit: Future)
I also found that the blades didn't quite reach all the way to the edge of the bowl, which created a layer of hardened ice cream that wouldn't dispense. This was difficult to remove with a spoon without thawing everything completely.
Performance score: 3.5 / 5
Should you buy the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker
Buy it if
You eat a lot of ice cream
Large single-use appliances such as this are tricky to justify unless you'll be using them frequently. If you're more of an occasional dessert fan, an attachment for your stand mixer may be a more economical choice.
You have kids
Custom ice creams with different toppings will definitely appeal to youngsters (or to your inner child).
Don't buy it if
You're easily distracted in the kitchen
This isn't the kind of appliance you can set and forget. You'll need to watch the consistency of your ice cream closely to make sure it's just right.
You have a small kitchen
This is a bulky machine that will take up a lot of room on your counter, or in a cupboard.
Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker: also consider
Ninja Creami Swirl
The hugely popular soft-serve ice cream maker isn't available outside the US at the time of writing, but it's definitely more advanced than the Cuisinart machine (particularly its dispenser).
KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker
If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, this freezable bowl and churning attachment will do basically the same job as the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker, for less cash. You don't get the dispenser nozzle, though.
How I tested the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker
I used the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker to prepare several recipes from Cuisinart's website, including soft-serve ice cream and sorbet. I tested the hotplate with different types of chocolate, and tried various sprinkles and candies in the topping dispensers.
The Laifen Mini is a scaled-down, mini hair dryer that offers the kind of power and features you'd expect from a full-sized option. It has the same streamlined silhouette as the majority of the best hair dryers on the market these days – it has a minimalist barrel, with most of the weight in the handle – but the whole unit has been shrunk down to a more portable size. The fact it comes with a carry bag suggests Laifen has travel in mind here, but I'd happily consider it as a main hair dryer if I was short on space.
It's lightweight and comfortable to use, with the (new with this model) matte finish adding grip as well as bumping up this model's style credentials. In terms of modes, there's the standard temperature and windspeed options, but also a couple more advanced modes. One will cycle hot-to-cold every two seconds, and is designed to protect your scalp and also set your locks as you style, and the other is a child mode that uses lower pressure and is better for delicate hair.
Although neither were required for my own styling routine, they both work as advertised and offer a more specialized option for those who want them. In the auto-cycle mode, it took two and a half minutes to rough-dry my hair to 90 per cent dry – a little longer than my full-sized dryer, but still very acceptable and impressively efficient for a travel-sized option.
There are some potential downsides, though. The cord is short and the fact there's currently no compatible diffuser will frustrate curly haired customers. I also found the controls a point of irritation – you set the mode using a series of long or short button presses, and you'll need to memorize these because the only way to note the current mode is by watching the glowing ring on the dryer's barrel and remembering what each color sequence means. It certainly looks cool, but it isn't the most efficient way to convey information.
Those frustrations aside, this is a very strong addition to the Laifen lineup. It's also affordably priced for the features it brings, sitting in the mid-range bracket and delivering strong performance, versatility and a cool look for that price. That's the short version – read on for my full Laifen Mini hair dryer review.
Laifen Mini hair dryer review: price & availability
List price: €129.99
Available: Europe, UK (via EU site)
Launched: September 2024
The Laifen Mini was unveiled at IFA in September 2024, and at time of writing is available to buy in the UK, other European territories, as well as South Africa. The UK situation is a little odd because it's only available to buy via the Laifen EU site and the price is listed in Euros, but Laifen has confirmed it's available for UK shoppers here, and you can specify that it come with a UK plug.
At time of writing, Laifen didn't have any information on if/when the Mini might be launched in the US or Australia – although when my teammate saw the dryer at IFA she was told the differences in voltage were a barrier to launching in the US.
At list price it costs €129.99 – roughly $135 / £107 / AU$213 – although it was reduced to €110.49 at the time of writing. This puts the Laifen Mini in the mid-range price bracket for hair dryers, and I think it's decent value for what it offers. It's a step up on basic in terms of features; it feels robust and good quality; and the design has a premium vibe.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Laifen Mini hair dryer specs
Laifen Mini hair dryer review: design
Stylish, small and lightweight build
Comes with magnetic concentrator and carry bag
Controlled via button and slider on handle; cord rather short
The Laifen Mini is a shrunk-down version of the brand's popular Laifen Swift hair dryer. Originally, that was part of a wave of new dryers with designs heavily inspired by the then-hot-new-thing, the Dyson Supersonic.
The new addition still has that streamlined shape with the weight in the handle and a minimal barrel. However, it now looks less like a knock-off and more of its own thing, and I'm a big fan of Laifen's styling. It's the first Laifen dryer to add a matte coating – this brings the double benefit of improving grip while also avoiding that cheap-looking shiny plastic look. It's available in four muted, pastel colors (arguably more on-trend than the tropical tones still favored by Dyson).
The Mini comes with a Concentrator and carry bag (Image credit: Future)
My review model is Glacier Blue (a grey-blue), but it's also available in Jungle Green (an olive-toned color), Coral Pink (really more baby pink) and Arctic White. It arrives with one styling attachment – a concentrator that snaps on and off magnetically. Other Laifen dryers have a compatible diffuser that can be purchased separately, but that isn't an option here.
To help with portability it comes bundled with a carry bag in either grey or brown (color chosen at random). It's just big enough for the dryer, cable and attachment to nestle inside, and is magnetic all the way along the top, making it super easy to open and close.
(Image credit: Future)
At 5.9ft / 1.8m, the cable is on the short side. That might be annoying if you're planning to use this as your main dryer, but it does make sense as a travel option. There's a rubbery cable tidy for when you want to pack the dryer in its bag.
For reference, most full-sized dryers have a cable that's around 8.5-10ft (2.5-3m) long. However, it's worth flagging that Laifen in general is stingy with its cables – the full-sized Swift has the same length cord as this Mini version.
Controls & modes
Controls are via two switches on the handle. There's a slider to turn the dryer on and move between the two different windspeed options, indicated by icons (0, I, II). The second button is used to set the mode.
(Image credit: Future)
Here's where things become a little confusing, because different modes require different press types:
Long press: temperature cycling mode
Two short presses: child mode
Single short press: shift between low, medium and high temperature
A ring around the barrel will glow different colors to indicate temperature; but other than that, there's no way to determine which mode you're in.
When the dryer arrived, Laifen had added a wrapper to the handle with instructions printed on it, and I was grateful that I took a photo at the time for reference – because once it's gone, you'll need to rely on your memory to know what's going on.
The temperature control is described as "smart", but that just means there's a sensor inside to prevent overheating, which I'd hope wouldn't happen anyway. Like most modern dryers, bar the ultra-budget models, it releases ions as it dries, to discourage frizz.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Laifen Mini hair dryer review: performance
Good amount of power for a travel-sized dryer
Controls are fiddly and require memorizing
Lightweight and comfortable to hold and use
The Laifen Mini is comfortable to hold, with a well-balanced design and good grip thanks to the matte coating. It's lightweight enough for use over long periods, and packs a decent amount of power for a travel-sized dryer. I tested it out on my armpit-length, naturally wavy hair, and my drying times were slightly longer than when using my Dyson Supersonic Nural, but not unreasonably so.
While the dinky size and helpful carry bag make it perfect for taking on trips, I think this would also work as a main hair dryer for someone who's especially short on storage space. The power and functionality are similar to what you'd get with a full-sized dryer; the main compromise you're making is the length of the cord (bear this in mind if your power outlets aren't helpfully placed close to your mirrors).
(Image credit: Future)
In terms of attachments, the provided concentrator snaps on and off easily and feels secure in use. It's just a shame there's no compatible diffuser for curly haired customers.
Modes in use
Let's take a closer look at the operation. There are two windspeeds; most modern dryers offer three, although I think two will be fine for most people's needs.
You're also slightly more limited than usual on temperature options. Most dryers these days will come with three temperature options plus a separate cold shot button. Here, you just have a medium, hot or cold temperature mode. The band around the barrel will glow yellow, red or blue respectively in these modes.
I was fine with having to cycle through temperature setting to access the cold mode, although others may prefer the more usual approach of a separate, dedicated button. Laifen's approach is easier for prolonged cold setting use, because it doesn't require a button to be held down.
If you're styling your hair or are particularly concerned about scalp health, you can opt for a temperature cycling mode, in which the Mini will switch from hot to cold every two seconds. At the same time, the band will gradually transition from pink to red to purple to blue. The aim of this mode is to prevent your scalp from becoming too hot, and to set your style as you're drying.
It took around two and half minutes to get my hair to 90 per cent dry in this mode. In comparison, with the Dyson Supersonic Nural's "auto" mode it takes around two minutes. I didn't find the automatic temperature cycling that useful for my styling needs or routine, but I appreciate the option is there if you want it.
(Image credit: Future)
A new addition with the Laifen Mini is the child mode. This isn't a child lock, but rather a mode designed for drying children's hair.
Laifen states that in this mode the dryer "maintains the same airspeed as regular modes, but the wind pressure is reduced, making the air feel gentler on the skin". Activate child mode and the dryer will stay at either 38ºC at low speed, or 48ºC in high speed, and the ring will pulse yellow.
(Image credit: Future)
I appreciate that Laifen is offering up more than just your standard modes here. While they won't all be useful for everyone – and for my styling routine, I found myself mostly sticking to the high windspeed, high temperature option – I appreciate the options are there to cater to different customers' needs and priorities.
However, I do have a slight issue with the labelling – or lack thereof. I'm all for a minimalist design, but the only way to know which temperature mode you're in is to sit and watch the lights (and remember what they mean). Unless you have a great memory, switching modes will probably be a process of trial and error for some time.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Should you buy the Laifen Mini hair dryer?
Buy it if...
You want a hair dryer for travel The compact build and helpful carry pouch make this the perfect companion for weekends away – and it packs a good amount of power for its size, too. All of these qualities make it a good choice if you're short on dressing table space as well.
You want a dryer for children / delicate hair Unusually, the Mini comes with a child mode that reduces the wind pressure for use on delicate hair and scalps.
You want a stylish and advanced dryer on a budget This is one of the best-looking hair dryers I've seen, and while it isn't the techiest option on the market, it packs some cool added features for an affordable price.
Don't buy it if...
You value simplicity The controls here aren't super clear, and not everyone will want temperature cycling or a child-friendly mode. If you'd prefer a simpler design with your standard temperature and windspeed sliders, there are plenty of options to choose from.
You're annoyed by a short cable The cord here is short, so if your power outlets aren't ideally placed – or you like some freedom while you style – this isn't the best choice.
Laifen Mini hair dryer review: alternatives to consider
Dyson Supersonic Nural It's significantly pricier and more hi-tech than the Laifen Mini, but if you want to push the boat out, the Supersonic Nural is the crème de la crème of hair dryers. This full-sized option comes with an extensive range of attachments, and boasts a Scalp Protect mode that senses how far it is from your head and raises or lowers temperature accordingly.
The T3 fit is another lightweight, travel-friendly option. It's simpler than the Laifen Mini with fewer modes and (in my opinion) a much less stylish design. However, the cable is longer and there's a compatible diffuser if you want one.
I used the Laifen Mini as my main hair dryer for two weeks. For reference, I have armpit-length, naturally wavy hair. According to my hairdresser, the strands are fine but there are a lot of them. For this review, I tested all the different modes, recorded how long it took to rough-dry my hair from wet to 90 per cent dry in maximum windspeed and temperature mode, as well as in temperature cycling mode. I assessed how comfortable it was to use, and how straightforward the controls were. In all of these areas, I compared my experience with the Laifen Mini to other dryers including the Dyson Supersonic Nural (which I use as my everyday dryer) and more basic, cheaper models.
The Jiga Power Bank is a capacious power bank with a 22.5W maximum output, designed to offer plenty of charges for your smaller devices.
It probably won’t win any awards for its looks, as it adopts a strictly utilitarian design. There are variants with orange and red front panels, but that’s the only flourish you get.
The build quality of the Jiga Power Bank seems good at least: the chassis feels reasonably sturdy and the power button functioned well during my time with it. However, it isn’t as thin or as light as the best power banks out there, although given its 27,000mAh capacity, this isn’t much of a surprise.
There are five small LEDs surrounding the power button: four to indicate battery level and a lightning symbol that turns green to indicate charging – a handy visual to reassure you that your device is definitely charging.
The Jiga Power Bank also has an integrated flashlight, which is quite bright, although it does require holding the power button a little too long to toggle, which diminishes its usefulness somewhat.
Unfortunately, the Jiga Power Bank doesn’t come with a USB-C-to-C cable, only a short USB-C-to-A cable, although the USB-A ports are the most powerful, delivering 22.5W each. The USB-C port is close behind with 20W, and thankfully three-way simultaneous charging is possible as well.
There’s also a Micro USB port, which is odd on two counts: it’s rather outdated now, and can only be used to charge the Jiga Power Bank itself, not to charge other devices. Still, if you’ve got any of those cables laying around, then it could prove a useful inclusion.
Charging my Google Pixel 7a from 50% to 100% using the USB-C port took just over an hour, which is a reasonable performance. The bank’s battery remained on four bars, which seems to suggest that Jiga’s claim of getting between three and five phone charges out of it holds true.
For under $30, the Jiga Power Bank represents good value considering its output and capacity. It undercuts the Juovi J2621, for instance, which has less capacity (20,000mAh), but it does have more power (45W).
Usually, power banks with high capacities tend to have high power outputs to match, which inevitably brings the cost up, so the Jiga Power Bank occupies a rather niche position for those who like to charge small and medium devices multiple times.
(Image credit: Future)
Jiga 27000mAh Power Bank review: price & specs
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Jiga 27000mAh Power Bank?
Buy it if…
You need to charge multiple times With its 27,000mAh capacity, the Jiga Power Bank is ideal for regularly charging your devices.
You often find yourself in the dark Thanks to the handy inbuilt flashlight, the Jiga Power Bank might be a good pick for those who need to use it at night.
Don't buy it if…
You want the best travel companion Given it’s reasonably heavy and thick, the Jiga Power Bank might be too much for those who travel light, or who want to carry their bank in their pocket.
You have large devices to charge The 22.5W output might not be enough to charge big ticket items, such as laptops and the like.
Jiga 27000mAh Power Bank review: also consider
Iniu B61 Another good value power bank, the B61 offers the same number of ports (minus the rather redundant Micro USB port) and power output, although less capacity (10,000mAh). However, unlike the Jiga Power Bank, it features a digital display for the battery readout, and it’s much thinner and lighter. It also looks better, if that’s important to you in a power bank. Read our Iniu B61 review.
